Stevia reduces your beneficial gut flora

What’s stevia?

Stevia is a natural, plant-derived, low-calorie sweetener found in many foods, drinks and ‘health’ products.

It passes into your colon where it's fermented by bacteria into glucose (absorbable sugar), and then into steviol, a sugar alcohol that passes out through your stool.

Stevia contains hormone-like structures, and some studies suggest these might act like mutagens and be carcinogenic.

Why does your microbiome matter?

Because your gut microbiome mediates metabolism and immunity, impacting your risk of obesity and disease. A diversity of beneficial gut bacteria is also directly linked to better health.

What stevia does

According to research, stevia negatively impacts your gut flora and other areas of gut health...

1. It reduces beneficial bacteria – One study tested it against 6 Lactobacillus reuteri strains and found it inhibited the growth of all of them. This bacteria is protective, with low levels increasing the risk of diabetes, weight gain, inflammation and heart disease.
   
   A more recent study found that all non-nutritive sweeteners, including stevia, alter your gut flora by inhibiting the growth of both kingdoms of bacteria (Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes), whether beneficial or harmful. So other sweeteners are not the answer either

2. Stevia disturbs your dopamine reward system – Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter or chemical messenger made, and partly stored in your gut. It helps you feel pleasure and reward. Dopamine is also involved in motility, the muscle contractions that move food along your digestive system. Poor motility can lead to congestion (constipation) causing overgrowths of bacteria, parasites, viruses and yeast

3. It could also disrupt communication between different bacteria in your gut microbiome, which is important for microbiome balance and the health of your gut lining where immunity lies

4. Can irritate the stomach lining and digestive tract, possibly resulting in bloating, gas, diarrhoea and contributing to intestinal permeability leading to inflammation, allergies and more

If you're wondering whether to use artificial sweeteners instead, as mentioned above, they too disrupt your gut microbiome, and importantly raise your blood sugar and stall weight loss. You can read more about that here.

It looks like appreciating the natural sweetness of whole foods and having a little raw honey or dates sometimes so as not to raise your blood sugar too much may be the answer. I will have a little stevia once or twice a week, but not on a daily basis.